Come Back to Me
by hdente85
Summary: Modern-day Jack and Elizabeth story. Jack has just left Hope Valley for the military overseas. It's been three years. Will Jack come back to Elizabeth? Disclaimer: I do not own the storyline or the characters within this story. All rights and much appreciation go to Crown Media, LLC, Hallmark Channel, the actors, the creators, and the writers of "When Calls the Heart".
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – "The Memorial Day Parade"**

Elizabeth awoke and rose early. She descended the stairs of her small home and proceeded to go into the kitchen to fix some coffee. Her golden retriever, Wally, followed close behind her. She needed coffee this morning. It had been another hard night with barely any sleep. She had tossed and turned, unable to rid the thoughts in her head.

As she poured her coffee and sat down at the small dining table in the corner of the kitchen, she let her mind wander to thoughts of him. Thoughts of him overseas. Thoughts of him fighting to stay alive. Thoughts of him possibly being killed.

Before long, she came back to the present with tears streaming down her cheeks. She reached for a tissue and wiped her eyes, unsure of how much longer she could wait. It had been three years. Three very long years. Her mind thought back to that moment they said goodbye.

 _ **Three Years Ago…**_  
Growing up, his father was in the military, so he knew how hard it was to leave his family. His dad was never around growing up, so his dad missed out on a lot of things. He knew firsthand how hard it was to say goodbye and not know if the person you loved would come home.

He had been fighting an internal struggle with himself after the death of a close friend about whether or not he should join the military. Elizabeth had heard him speaking to the pastor about it at church and she spoke out and said, "I don't want you to go." He knew in his heart how much he loved Elizabeth and how he hated to leave her, but he felt like this was his duty to his country. When he told her he had to leave, she had asked when he was leaving and how long he would be gone. "I'll be leaving the next morning at daybreak. And, I'm unsure of how long I will be gone, as it's an indefinite posting." Elizabeth began crying, running out of her home with Jack chasing after her. She ran down the steps as Jack reached for her and grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. "Elizabeth!" "Jack, please. Just please let me go. I can't do this right now. Please." Elizabeth walked away crying as Jack stood in silence wondering what he could do to help her with the pain of losing him for an uncertain amount of time. He realized he knew what he had to do. He spent all day planning and getting things ready. Finally, the time had come. He went to her home and knocked on the front door, leaving a small note sitting on the porch. Elizabeth came to the door, opening it and seeing no one outside. She was getting ready to turn around and head back in until she saw the small white envelope laying on the porch with her name on it. She reached down and picked it up, recognizing the handwriting on the envelope. As she opened the envelope, she saw a note wrote on a white card. "Take a walk with me." She smiled as she looked at the envelope and then heard someone walking up the steps. It was Jack. He was dressed in his military uniform. He reached his hand out to take her hand in his. He smiled as she leaned in close to him. She could still smell his cologne. Woodsy and masculine. He led them to the park near her home. They stopped walking and he stood in front of her, kissing her on the forehead. He stepped back and smiled at her. His dimples. The dimples she had fallen in love with. Oh, how she missed those dimples. He continued holding her hand, leading her where she needed to go with him. She hadn't realized it, but there was a small old historic church in this park. When the church came into her full view, she saw candles all around. She couldn't believe her eyes. Jack led her to the base of the church steps, where he stopped and turned to her, grabbing both of her hands in his. She quickly asked him, "Is there a reason for this walk?" He smiled at her, saying, "There is." He continued to hold her hands in his, looking down at first and then looking back into her eyes. "Elizabeth…From the very first moment we met, I knew that heaven had sent an angel into my life. I don't know when I'll be coming back, so I don't know if it's fair to ask you to wait for me." Elizabeth stopped him, reaching out and placing her hand on his chest. "Jack, I would wait an eternity for you." Looking at him, tears began to gather in her eyes. Jack smiled back at her, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes as well. And then it happened. Jack got down on one knee, pulling out a black ring box and holding it up to her. He slowly opens the box, the ring sparkling off the light coming from the candles around them. "Elizabeth Thatcher…will you marry me?" Elizabeth smiles and laughs a short laugh, unable to control the tears that begin to run down her cheeks. "Of course I will, yes!" Jack stands up, pulling Elizabeth to him and they both kiss. They both stand close together and Jack places the ring on her finger. She remembers how surprised she was at him asking her to marry him. She knew he had something planned but was shocked at him asking her. The next morning, Jack has to leave for his posting in the Middle East. He was dressed again in his military uniform. Elizabeth didn't want to see him go. Her heart was hurting so bad seeing him leaving her. She wasn't sure how she would make it without him. She wasn't even sure how long he would be gone. But she knew, in her heart, he would come home to her. She had to trust God and trust that everything would work out for them. It had to work out. He had to come back to her. Jack proceeded to get in the car to head to the airport. Elizabeth couldn't believe this was happening. He got into the car, his luggage with him, turning back to Elizabeth. "I have to go." Elizabeth had been crying and she nodded that she understood. But her heart was breaking into pieces. She hugged him goodbye, not sure if she would see him ever again. The thought made her cry even more. Jack hugged her back and got in the car. He turned to the driver's window, turning the ignition on and waved bye to her. He began pulling out of the driveway when he saw her running behind the car in the rear view mirror. He stopped and got out of the car. "Jack!" Elizabeth said as she ran to him. He ran to her and took her in his arms. She was crying uncontrollably. They kissed so passionately that it took everything they could to break apart. Jack reached for her hand and kissed her engagement ring. He looked back into Elizabeth's eyes, kissing her once more, then turned and got into the car and drove off. Elizabeth stood in the driveway crying, vowing that she would continue to wait for him to come back to her however long it took.

 _ **Present Day**_  
Elizabeth looked up at the sun shining through the kitchen window. This was a new day. Maybe today she would hear some good news about the fighting that was going on in the Middle East. It seemed like everything she saw on the news or read in the newspapers talked about how horrible the fighting was over there, how so many people were being killed. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take the constant reminder of Jack being gone. How much longer would she have to wait for him to come back to her? She held onto the promise that he made. That was the only thing that could help her each day. The only thing that could help her fight to keep going.

She jumped in the shower and decided to get ready for the day. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but she knew she wanted to get out of the house. She knew it was supposed to be a nice warm summer day, so she figured she'd go to the park where Jack had asked her to marry him. She knew it probably wasn't the best idea because of the memories it would bring back.

As she was leaving her house, she turned to lock the front door and noticed a small door hanger hanging on the door knob. She reached down and picked it up, scanning the title.

"Memorial Day Parade Today in Town! Come down and honor our military members and veterans! Parade, free hot dogs, balloons! Starts at noon today!"

She had forgotten that today was Memorial Day. A time to honor all the military members both past, present, and future. Elizabeth took a deep breath, unsure if she wanted to go or not. She knew it would be hard to see all the military members, their families. Was she willing to go? Would she struggle with the uncertainty of Jack? She pulled out her phone and checked the time. 10:56am. She took a deep breath and decided she would go. Since she only lived a few blocks from town, she decided to walk there instead of driving. She knew parking would be horrible and she didn't want to fight everyone for a good spot. She decided to stop in and see Abigail first before the parade.

Abigail owned the only café in town and was a best friend to Elizabeth. When Elizabeth had moved to town five years ago to teach, Abigail had taken her in under her wing, helping her with what she needed help with. Whether it was the children, the parents, the school board or Jack – anything she went to Abigail with, Abigail was always willing to lend a hand and an ear.

Elizabeth walked into the café, the small bell above the door dinging. Abigail looked up from the counter and smiled as Elizabeth walked in.

"Well, good morning Elizabeth! It's so good to see you this morning!" Abigail said as she reached for a coffee cup and poured Elizabeth a cup. "How are things going?"

Elizabeth sat down, reaching for the sugar packets on the counter. She ripped open a pink Splenda packet, pouring it into her coffee. Elizabeth looked up and smiled. "I'm doing good Abigail. It's been hard with Jack being gone. I just miss him so much." Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes, so Elizabeth hurriedly took a sip of the hot coffee. The steam felt good on her face.

"Don't worry Elizabeth. You'll see him soon. And besides…" Abigail said as she reached for Elizabeth's hand. "This is his promise to you. His promise to you that he will be back. He will come back for you. Trust me." Abigail said as she held Elizabeth's hand, looking at Elizabeth's engagement ring.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded at Abigail. She knew she was right. She needed to stop worrying and just try to make each day a better day. Before long, she would see Jack and she needed to focus on him first.

"So, are you going to stay in town to see the Memorial Day parade?" Abigail asked as she turned and pulled a blueberry muffin out of the bin, setting it down in front of Elizabeth.

Again, Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm planning to go. I'm just not sure how long I will be able to watch the parade for. It'll be hard for me to watch all the military members go by."

Elizabeth began eating the muffin, practically scarfing it down in seconds. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. She knew she wasn't eating very well because of how much she missed Jack.

Abigail reached for another muffin, placing it in front of Elizabeth. Abigail knew that Elizabeth had to keep her strength up for Jack. She hated seeing her best friend so sad and depressed.

Before long, the town's people had gathered on the sidewalk waiting for the parade to start. Elizabeth stood beside of Abigail, unsure of how much she would be able to watch and take in.

The parade began, first with all the emergency response vehicles. Their sirens blaring and lights flashing. Next came all the kids that were involved in the local sports – basketball, football, baseball, soccer. Then came the marching bands of all the local schools. Some songs were off key, but most sounded good. Then came the local VFW with their American flags and uniforms. Then came the most difficult part – the military members and different branches.

Elizabeth watched as each military member walked by. American flags, uniforms, guns. Each branch walked by in front of her, making it seem that time had slowed down. Before long, Jack's branch walked by, the Marines, and she found this was the most difficult part. She watched as each member walked by dressed in their white pants, black coat, and white hat. She noticed all the pins on their coats. All the badges and name tags. Tears began to fall as she watched them.

Abigail noticed how hard this was for Elizabeth, but she knew if she could stay until the end, it would be worth it. She hadn't said anything to Elizabeth, but there was a surprise waiting at the end of the parade.

After a few minutes, the Marines walked back and the parade began to end. The last few cars were the town's council members and the mayor saying how much they appreciated everyone for coming out to show their support of the military.

Abigail and Elizabeth had said goodbye, telling each other they would visit tomorrow for lunch. Elizabeth turned to walk back home, but something caught her eye. She saw in the far distance a Marine slowly walking down the sidewalk, dressed in the same uniform as those who had passed not ten minutes ago. Something about this Marine made her stop in her tracks. She watched as the Marine got closer. She couldn't make out his face because of the bright sun behind him, but something was pulling her to him.

Then it hit her. She squinted her eyes against the sun and she saw it. The familiar face. The familiar dimples. The familiar smile. Was she dreaming? Was he real? Was this really happening? She began crying, tears of joy running down her cheeks. She ran to him. She felt like she couldn't get there fast enough. He dropped what he was carrying and held out his open arms to her. She jumped into his arms, taking in the familiar scent, unable to stop crying. He was home. He was finally home to her after three years. Three long years that had gone by without him. They held each other for a long time, both crying, both unable to let go. They didn't want to let go. Each felt like if they let go, they'd disappear or wake up from this dream. Finally, they broke from their hug and looked into each other's eyes. That spark was still there. The love they felt from three years ago was still there. Jack took Elizabeth in and kissed her so passionately that it made her whole world stop. She felt like it was just her and Jack on the sidewalk, alone. She had yearned for the day that she would be back in his arms, safe and sound. She just couldn't believe today was that day.

Before long, Jack and Elizabeth made their way back to Elizabeth's home. They wanted to spend every second together. They had so much to catch up on. As they walked into the front door, Wally, Elizabeth's golden retriever, greeted them. He began to bark at the unfamiliar guest in the room but quickly warmed up to Jack as Elizabeth let Wally know Jack was a good person.

Elizabeth wasn't sure where to begin. She had waited three years for him to home to her and now that he was here, she wasn't sure what to say or do.

"Jack…" Elizabeth began but wasn't sure what to say next. Jack was sitting on the futon in the living room. He smiled at Elizabeth and reached out his hand, pulling her close to him.

"Elizabeth, I've missed you so much. You have no idea how hard it was for me to be away from you for so long. Every day was a struggle. I mean, three years is a long time but I'm so happy to be home and to be with you. I don't want to leave you ever again. I can't bear the thought of being without you. You are my sun, my moon, and my stars. You are everything to me, Elizabeth. I just love you so much." Jack said as he pulled her into his embrace, kissing her with every ounce of his being.

Breaking from their kiss, Elizabeth spoke up. "Would you like to go out to dinner? Or would you like to stay in? Truthfully, I'm not sure what to do. I just wasn't expecting you to show up. I still can't believe that you are here. That you are here in my living room sitting with me. I feel like this a dream and I'll wake up and you'll be gone. Please don't leave me, Jack." Elizabeth began crying, pulling into Jack's chest, unable to control her emotions.

"Shhhh….It's okay. I'm not leaving you. Never again Elizabeth. I promise." Jack said as he stroked her cheek and held her in his arms.

Jack smiled and pulled Elizabeth up by the chin to look into his eyes. "I have an idea. How about we order something to eat, have it delivered and stay in tonight? How does that sound to you?" Elizabeth smiled and wiped the tears that were still on her cheeks. "That sounds heavenly Jack." They went back to holding each other for a few minutes before they broke away and decided to order a pizza. They had a lot of catching up to do and both were unsure of where to start.

After ordering the pizza, Jack walked back into the living room, placing his cell phone on the coffee table and sitting back on the futon. He held Elizabeth in his arms, unwilling to let go. "So, what kind of pizza did you order?" Elizabeth asked as she watched Jack sit down beside of her, pulling her close. "Your favorite – A large pizza with pepperoni, banana peppers, and cheese," Jack said as he smiled at her. "You remembered!" Elizabeth said as she was shocked that after three years he could still remember her favorite toppings on a pizza. Jack reached for her hand, kissing her knuckles. "Elizabeth, I remember everything about you. About you and I. I remember everything because that was what kept me going these last three years." Again, Elizabeth couldn't believe what she was hearing. Tears threatened to spill out onto her cheeks again. "I love you so much, Elizabeth," Jack said as he kissed her. "I love you too Jack. I'm so glad you are home." Elizabeth said as she returned the kiss.

Before they knew it, the pizza had been delivered, they ate and it was time for Jack to head home. Neither wanted to see the other one leave. They knew the promises they made to themselves and to each other. Neither would stay at the other one's house until they were married. But, when Jack began to leave, they both realized how hard it would be to say goodbye until morning.

Both had begun saying goodbye, not wanting the other person to leave. Jack had walked to the front door and gathered his stuff – he still had all his luggage to get home and unload. As Jack turned to open the door, he heard it. "Jack…" Elizabeth had said in her tone that drove him into her arms. He dropped everything and ran to her, kissing her. He began kissing her and then began to kiss her neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. Elizabeth returned the kiss and placed one hand on his stomach and one hand on his hip. They knew how close they were getting, but neither wanted to let go. Jack begins to move his hand to her lower back, taking his other hand and placing it on her cheek. Elizabeth began tracing her finger on the top of his pants, touching her fingers to his smooth skin. Jack jumped at the touch, wanting to go further, knowing he couldn't, he shouldn't. His mind raced faster than he could think and before they knew it, Jack had pushed Elizabeth up against the wall, his hands first on her shoulders, then down her arms, then on her hips. He wanted to go further, but his mind was telling him no. Jack was the first to break from his hold on Elizabeth. He let out a frustrated breath that he was holding, unable to look Elizabeth in the eye.

"Elizabeth…I'm…" Jack said before Elizabeth took her finger and placed it over his mouth. "Shhhhh…It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong, Jack." Elizabeth said as she looked at him and pulled his face up to look at her. His eyes were misty with tears and she knew how much it hurt him to not be able to further their relationship because of not being married.

"I have an idea," Elizabeth said as she walked over to the kitchen counter and pulled out a piece of paper and pen. Jack was confused on what she was doing but slowly joined her in the kitchen. "What's your idea?" Jack asked confusion wrote all over his face. He wasn't sure what she had planned. "Okay, we got engaged when you left three years ago, right?" Elizabeth said as she began writing on the piece of paper. "Right," Jack said, still confused at where this was going. "Okay, we both know that being apart for three years has taken a toll on us and our relationship, as we both noticed just a few seconds ago from our actions," Elizabeth said as she looked at Jack, smiling a short smile and blushing. Jack smiled back. "Right." "Okay, so, let's do this – let's make a list of stuff that we need to do before we get married and plan for our wedding. What do you think Jack?" Jack looked at her and realized how serious she was about this. Gosh, how he loved this woman. Jack pulled her into his arms, their faces centimeters from each other. "I think it's a great idea," Jack said before quickly kissing her.

"Okay, so let's see…" Elizabeth said as she went back to the paper, picking up the pen to write down their ideas. "We need a license, date, location, dress, tux, flowers, cake, a reception and family/friends," Elizabeth said as she began to write those items down. "Have you given any thought to a date?" Elizabeth looked up at Jack as she saw he was grinning from ear to ear. "Elizabeth, I would marry you right this second if we had a preacher here to marry us. I don't need a fancy wedding, a tux or anyone around us to be married to you." Jack said as he held Elizabeth's hand and kissed her engagement ring. Elizabeth took a deep breath and smiled. "Well, I don't need any of that stuff either. But I do want to have a nice location for the wedding to remember it by. Do you have any ideas on a location close to here?" They both thought for a few minutes and Jack snapped his fingers. "I got it! How about this – How about Virginia Beach?" Elizabeth took the location in, thought about it and smiled. "Perfect. It doesn't have to be special. Just the two of us and a preacher." Elizabeth said as she continued to write. Before long, they had decided that they would be married the next weekend at Virginia Beach. With Elizabeth being on summer break from teaching, she had all summer off. And with Jack being back from the military, he was able to take off some time before he had to go back into the police department full time. It was settled – Next Saturday they would drive down to Virginia Beach and get married. After three years apart, they would finally be married. The day couldn't come soon enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – "I Do"**

Before both realized, the week had flown by and the wedding was fast approaching. The preparations, just a few of them, were almost complete. Elizabeth had decided to look for a simple white wedding dress – nothing fancy since it would be on the beach. Jack had decided to rent a tux from a small tuxedo place down at the beach – that way he wouldn't have to carry around a tux. Elizabeth had chosen the ring she wanted for Jack and Jack did the same for Elizabeth.

Thursday was upon them. Jack and Elizabeth had decided to spend Friday traveling down from Hope Valley to Virginia Beach by car. So today, they would be calling their parents and telling them about the wedding.

Jack decided to meet Elizabeth for lunch at Abigail's café because he knew calling their families, especially Elizabeth, would be difficult. He wasn't sure why, but Elizabeth's family had never liked him. They felt he was an "outcast" because he was a police officer. Elizabeth's family was used to the "finer" things in life – high society teas, expensive clothing, society functions – You name it, they were involved in it some way or another. When Jack had decided to go into the military and leave Elizabeth, her family basically told Elizabeth that they wouldn't support her love for him. They wouldn't support her marrying him based on him leaving at the spur-of-the-moment. Sure, they appreciated his sacrifice to his country to fight in the military, but they didn't want to see their daughter running off getting married based on a whim of not seeing Jack again. For all they knew, their daughter would marry Jack, get pregnant, and lose her husband all within the year. They wouldn't stand for such a thing – it just wasn't "approved" in their society's eyes.

Jack walked in behind Elizabeth through the front door of the café. They quickly found a small table in the corner away from the rest of the customers. They wanted as much quiet as possible since they would be calling their families.

Abigail soon walked over, pouring both a cup of coffee and leaving behind some rolls and butter. She knew the difference with Jack and Elizabeth's families, but she was happy they were getting married. She knew the moment she met them, they were destined to be married.

Elizabeth began to sip on her coffee, looking over at her iPhone sitting on the corner of the table. Jack knew she was nervous – He knew that she hated talking to her parents, especially regarding Jack. But she knew it had to be done. Jack gave her a quick smile and mouthed, "I love you." Elizabeth smiled back and reached for her phone.

She quickly pulled up her contact list and found the number. Within seconds, the phone started ringing. She wished she could put it on speakerphone for Jack to hear, but she knew that would be a mistake because she knew her parents would be furious with her. Within the first three rings, her mother answered.

"Elizabeth! It's good to see you calling! I haven't spoken to you in a few months – How are things going in Hope Valley?" Her mother asked as Elizabeth sat frozen, her mouth unable to speak and her heart pumping in her chest.

"I…I, uh…." Elizabeth tried to speak but was unable to get the words out before her mother butted in again.

"Elizabeth, is something wrong?" Her mother spoke on the other line, wondering why her daughter wasn't saying anything.

Elizabeth knew she needed to snap out of this and speak to her mother before she thought the worst. Seconds ticked by and it seemed like hours before she could say anything.

"I'm fine mother. I was just calling to tell you some news. I want both you and father to hear this. Is he available to talk? Maybe we can put you on speaker phone so I can tell both of you?" Elizabeth said as she began to calm down, but realized her father would on the line soon to talk to her.

"Sure, let me get him. Hang on a second Elizabeth." Her mother said as she could hear her place the phone down and walk away. She figured he was in his office working.

Time slowed down and it seemed like it was taking forever to get her father on the phone. Before long, her mother picked the phone up. "Elizabeth? Are you still there?"

"Yes mother, I'm still here. Is father able to talk?" Elizabeth said as she closed her eyes and held her breath.

"Elizabeth, it's good to hear your voice. It's been so long since I've talked to you. Your mother tells me that you have some news for us – What's going on? You aren't in trouble are you?" Her father boomed as he spoke on speakerphone on the other end.

Elizabeth's nerves were back. How could she tell them? She knew they would be mad at her. She closed her eyes again and took a deep breath. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Jack sitting across from her, drinking his coffee. He was so perfect. He was finally home after three long years of being separated from her and in two days, they would be married. Jack looked up and smiled at her, flashing those dimples she loved so much. She took another deep breath and began speaking.

"Mother… Father….I have some news. As you know, Jack has been gone for three years since he's been in the military fighting overseas. You know how hard it's been for me to be alone and I wanted to let you know…" Elizabeth said before she was rudely interrupted by her father.

"Jack?! I figured he would have moved on – you both would have moved on from this silly relationship. We figured you'd have moved back to Hamilton by now and married someone more civilized. Are you two still seeing each other? " Her father yelled over the phone. He was so upset and Elizabeth didn't know what to say next.

Tears streaming down her face, Jack reached out and took her hand. He continued to smile at her and rubbed his fingers against her fingers. He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed her engagement ring.

She took another deep breath, trying to tune out her father's uncontrollable babbling. Then it happened. She didn't know where it came from, but it happened.

"Just shut up!" Elizabeth yelled as she began crying. Tears fell from her face and she knew the people in the café were staring at her. She couldn't do this – she couldn't tell her parents about marrying Jack. They would never accept Jack. He would always be someone they hated.

Elizabeth placed the phone down on the table, leaving the phone call still going and ran to the bathroom. Jack stood up, reaching out to help her, but she ran by him. Abigail came running, wondering what had happened. Jack looked at her and shook his head. She knew her parents had crossed the line. Before she could reach for the phone, Jack took the phone in his hand and began talking.

"Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher – This is Jack Thornton. I want you to know that you two have deeply hurt Elizabeth. She's your daughter; your own flesh and blood, and you treat her like this? You treat her like this because of your hate against me? And truthfully, I don't even know what I've done that makes you hate me so much. Yes, I'm not in the same "league" as you are in society, but that doesn't mean I love Elizabeth any less. She wanted to call and tell you that I had come home after three years and we are getting married in two days. Unfortunately, all you care about is your "place" in society and not your daughter's happiness. Goodbye." Jack said as he took the phone and ended the call. He was so mad at her parents would treat her like that.

Jack stood up to go find Elizabeth in the bathroom. He walked to the bathroom door and knocked. No answer.

"Elizabeth?" Jack called out to her. No answer. "Elizabeth, are you okay? Can you come out so we can talk?" Again, no answer. Jack reached for the doorknob, noticing it was unlocked. He slowly opened it, seeing no one inside.

Jack turned around and went back to find Abigail. Where had Elizabeth gone to? He was sure she had run into the bathroom.

"Abigail! Have you seen Elizabeth?" Jack said as he quickly walked up to the counter.

Abigail was wiping the counter off, stacking dishes together to be washed. "No, I thought she went to the bathroom."

Jack shook his head and Abigail spoke up. "She may have gone out the back door. It leads out to the small alley behind the café. Maybe she went out there to clear her head."

Jack took off running, pushing open the back door and looking up and down the alley way. No one was there. Just a few small trash cans. He stood for a few minutes, thinking to where she had gone. She couldn't have gone far. Then he realized it. He knew where she would be.

He took off running down the alley way and down a couple of streets when he came to a small clearing in the middle of town. He slowly walked up and saw her sitting. She was sitting on the steps of the small historic church that they had gotten engaged at before he left three years ago. Her head was in her hands and she was shaking from crying. He hated to see her hurt. He just wanted to run to her and hold her and tell her everything would be okay.

He slowly walked up to the church steps, watching her as she continued to cry.

She heard him walking up to her. She hated to cry and show how much her family had control over her. She looked up as he stood on the first step in front of her.

"Hi…" He said as he gave her a small smile. She could tell his heart was breaking for her.

"Hey…" Elizabeth said back as she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Jack said as he sat down beside of her on the step, taking her hand in his and not letting it go.

"Yeah, I just needed a few minutes to myself." Elizabeth said as she let out a long breath and sniffled, trying to hold back the new tears that threatened to spill out.

"Hey…It's okay. We don't need your parent's blessing." Jack said as he pulled her close and held her in his arms.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. At least one thing she could be sure of was that she loved Jack and was so blessed to have him back in her life after three years. She continued sniffling and Jack took her and kissed her on the forehead.

After a few minutes, Elizabeth had calmed down enough and had stopped crying. "I'm sorry Jack. I was really hoping my parents would be more understanding of our relationship." Elizabeth said as she wiped her cheeks with a used tissue, crumpled from the tears that had fallen prior.

"I'm sure they hate me now. They probably won't speak to me again. I'm sorry I made such a mess out of this day. This was supposed to be a happy day for us but I ruined it. I hope you can forgive me." Elizabeth said as she looked down at the step in front of her, hurt by her parents and hoping Jack could forgive her.

"You didn't ruin anything Elizabeth. I'm proud of you for standing up to your parents. They ran your life long enough when you lived at home. Actually, when you ran off, I gave them a piece of my mind and hung up on them." Jack said as he pulled her face up to his, looking deep into her dark blue eyes.

Elizabeth took another deep breath, thankful that Jack was here for her during this difficult time.

"So, what do we do now?" Elizabeth asked after resting her head on Jack's shoulder, enjoying the quietness around them. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining – Elizabeth knew this was a sign that God was letting her know that everything would turn out for the best. She didn't need her parents.

"Well, how about we head back to the café and we can call my mom and let her know about the wedding? She will be thrilled." Jack said as he stood up and dusted off his pants. He reached his hand out to Elizabeth, pulling her close. They held hands as they walked back to the café.

They both walked back to the front door of the café and Abigail saw them coming through the door. She smiled at the sight before her. She was so thankful that Elizabeth had Jack to lean on during this difficult time. She needed him more now than ever. She knew they both loved each other so much and were making the right decision. She just wished Elizabeth's parents could see that. The love was evident to anyone who saw them.

Jack and Elizabeth both sat down at the table they were at before they left. Abigail walked over and poured some fresh coffee for the both of them. She knew they needed it.

"Abigail…" Elizabeth said as she took a quick sip of the hot coffee in front of her.

"Thank you for everything you have done for us. We both really appreciate everything you have done and continue to do. I was wondering, would you want to travel down to Virginia Beach and be my maid of honor?" Elizabeth said as she continued to look at Abigail.

Abigail began to tear up and she smiled. "Of course! I'd be honored Elizabeth!" Abigail said as Elizabeth jumped from her chair and took her in a hug. Jack smiled as she watched. He was glad Elizabeth had such a great friend in Abigail.

Elizabeth sat back down and Jack pulled out his phone from his pocket.

"Are you ready to talk to my mom? I'm going to put her on speakerphone." Jack said as he smiled at Elizabeth, letting her know that he was here for her.

"Yes, I'm excited to talk to her!" Elizabeth said as she grinned from ear to ear. Jack was happy that Elizabeth had met his mother a few months back. His mom had come in for a visit unannounced, but Elizabeth and her hit it off the moment they met. They both gave Jack sass and Elizabeth's mom loved Elizabeth for that.

Jack pulled up his keypad and typed in his mom's phone number. He always remembered it by heart. Within a few seconds, his mom picked up.

"Jack! I miss you! How are you?" Charlotte chimed in.

"Ma, I'm doing well! How are things going for you?" Jack said as he reached and held Elizabeth's hand, looking at her and smiling with his eyes.

"Oh, you know. Just trying to stay busy and find things to do. How's Elizabeth doing? I'm sure she was happy to see you after you came home!" Charlotte said as she figured Elizabeth was with Jack.

"Hi Charlotte!" Elizabeth said as she smiled and looked at Jack. This conversation was going much better than the one she had previously with her parents. She was glad Charlotte loved her as a daughter. She couldn't ask for a better mother-in-law.

"Elizabeth! It's great to hear your voice! I'm sure you were so ecstatic to see Jack! How have things been going?"

Jack chimed back in. "Well Ma, we actually have some good news for you!" He looked at Elizabeth and smiled. He nodded at her to make the announcement.

Elizabeth smiled and squeezed his hand. "We are getting married in two days!" Elizabeth blurted out, laughing and smiling as she beamed with excitement.

"What? Are you serious? Oh, I'm so happy for you two! I wish I could be there to see you get married, but unfortunately, I'll be heading out of town for a few days for work." Charlotte was so thrilled for her son and future daughter-in-law. She loved Elizabeth as her own and wouldn't ask for anyone better for Jack.

"Are you getting married in Hope Valley?" Charlotte asked.

"Actually, we have decided to get married at Virginia Beach. We are leaving tomorrow morning and driving down, then getting married on Saturday afternoon. We decided we didn't want a big wedding and we didn't want to wait since we've been engaged for three years." Just talking about it, Jack couldn't hold his excitement and couldn't wait until tomorrow to head down to Virginia Beach with Elizabeth.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you two! I wish I could be there, but like I said, I'll be out of town. Elizabeth, I'll tell you now – Welcome to the Thornton family! Make sure to love Jack and never go to bed angry. Also, give him lots of sass as I would!" Charlotte said as she laughed on the other end of the phone.

Elizabeth laughed as well, agreeing she would give Jack sass.

After talking to Charlotte for a few more minutes, Jack hung up the phone and smiled at Elizabeth. He was happy that his mother was thrilled for them. He just wished Elizabeth's parents wouldn't be so controlling. They were missing out on an important day of Elizabeth's life.

"Alright, now that we have called our families, what do you want to do now? I actually need to go back to my house and finish up packing. We are staying til Sunday, right?" Elizabeth said as she interrupted Jack's thoughts of Elizabeth's family.

Jack hadn't said anything to Elizabeth because he didn't want to ruin the surprise, so he let on like they would be leaving on Sunday. Unbeknownst to Elizabeth, he had something up his sleeve. He knew she would love it and he couldn't wait.

"Yeah, let's head back to your house and you can finish packing. Then we can go somewhere and grab a quick dinner and get ready for our trip in the morning. I figured on going to sleep early tonight since we gotta get up early in the morning." Jack said as he stood up from his chair and reached for Elizabeth's hand.

They both said goodbye to Abigail and headed back to Elizabeth's house. Jack was going to help her pack since he was already finished. He just hoped she didn't pack a lot of stuff.

Elizabeth pulled into her driveway as Jack pulled up behind her and turned off his car. He made it to her car door before she could even turn around. He held the car door for her and walked with her to the front door. Elizabeth took the key out of her purse and unlocked the front door. Wally ran up to greet her and Jack, licking them with his wet tongue and wagging his tail, anxious to see both back. Elizabeth squatted down on the floor, petting Wally and enjoying the wet doggy kisses. Jack enjoyed watching her. She had such a love for animals. Gosh, how he loved this woman. He couldn't wait to marry her in two days.

Elizabeth went back to her bedroom, pulling out her suitcase and bringing it into the living room. She had packed most of her stuff but still had a few things she needed to pack. She began going through more clothing, unsure of the outfits that she had picked out to wear. Before long, she and Jack had finished packing. Since they were planning to leave early the next morning, around 4:00am, they had decided that Jack would stay over and sleep in Elizabeth's guestroom. This allowed them extra time since Jack didn't have to travel across town to his apartment.

"Alright, I think that's everything." Elizabeth said as she sat down on her suitcase and proceeded to try and zip it up, unable to do so since it was so full. She let out a breath in defeat. She figured she'd packed too much stuff. She looked over at Jack who was just holding back his laugh.

"Too much?" Elizabeth said as she began laughing. She pulled the suitcase back up on the couch and proceeded to take items out of it to make more room. A few minutes later, she was able to successfully zip the suitcase without any problems.

Jack sat their suitcases and bags near the front door as Elizabeth prepared to get ready for bed. Jack set his alarm for 3:00am, allowing them plenty of time to get up and get ready to leave by 4:00am. He sat down on the edge of the bed in Elizabeth's guestroom and took a moment to reflect on everything.

Elizabeth had finished getting ready for bed and wanted to say goodnight to Jack, when she walked to the door and looked in her guestroom. She loved the sight before her. In two days, she'd be married and be Mrs. Elizabeth Thornton. Her heart burst at the thought. How did she get so lucky? She was so happy that Jack had returned home to her safe and sound.

"Knock, knock." Elizabeth said as she quietly knocked on the open door leading to her guestroom. Jack looked up and smiled.

"I wanted to say goodnight before I turned in." She said as she smiled back at Jack. Her heart was so overfilled with love for him. She was ready to marry him right then and there in her pajamas.

"Come here." Jack said as he motioned for Elizabeth to sit beside him on the corner of the bed. He patted the empty spot beside him and she walked over and sat down. Jack looked deeply into her eyes and kissed her so softly.

"Thank you for everything. I'm so grateful that you have decided to become my wife. I love you Elizabeth and nothing will change that." Jack said as he kissed her again, smiling at her as they broke from their kiss.

"I love you too Jack." Elizabeth said as she sat aw-struck at her future husband. Again, she wondered how she got to be so lucky. Jack was perfect. He was everything she wanted in a husband.

Elizabeth stood up and walked back to the door, looking back at Jack as she turned to leave.

"Goodnight Elizabeth." Jack said as he lay down in the bed, pulling the covers over him as he smiled at Elizabeth.

"Goodnight Jack." Elizabeth said as she turned off the light and shut the door. She smiled as she made her way back to her room.

The next morning came and Jack's alarm woke him up. He reached for his phone to turn off the alarm, but he knocked his phone in the floor and it rolled under the bed. He jumped out of bed, trying to find his phone. Finally, he was able to locate it and shut off the alarm. He looked at the clock. 3:03AM. He knew of the long trip before him and Elizabeth, but nothing could stop him from getting to Virginia Beach. Tomorrow was the day. The day he would marry Elizabeth.

Jack proceeded to walk into the kitchen to fix some coffee. He would need it today with the long driving ahead of him. He had promised Elizabeth that he would do the driving and that she could relax and enjoy the drive. As he waited for the coffee pot to stop brewing, he heard the shuffling of feet down the hall and heard Elizabeth getting in the shower. How did he get so lucky? He was so blessed to call Elizabeth his. He was thankful that God had allowed him to return back to Elizabeth after three years overseas.

Jack started to drink his coffee and get everything ready to put in the car. They had decided to take Jack's car and leave Elizabeth's car here. They also had to drop Wally off at Lee and Rosemary's house so they could "dog-sit" while they were gone. Lee and Rosemary were good friends of Jack and Elizabeth. Jack thought back to how things went with Elizabeth and Rosemary at first. A chuckle escaped his mouth as he thought back.

 **Four years ago…  
** Rosemary had arrived in town and had stopped at a local Starbucks in town for some coffee. Elizabeth was there visiting with her sister Julie as she prepared to leave to head back to Hamilton. As Elizabeth and her sister said goodbye, they heard Rosemary getting aggravated with the employee behind the counter. They had apparently messed up her coffee order and gave her the wrong thing. Rosemary was giving this guy an earful. Finally, the employee decided it would be best to give Rosemary a free coffee on the house. As Julie left, Elizabeth stood up to leave and bumped into Rosemary. Luckily though, no coffee was spilt and the two smiled at each other. Elizabeth picked up her purse and was getting ready to leave when Rosemary proceeded to ask her a question.

"Excuse me, I'm from out of town and I was wondering, is this Hope Valley?" Rosemary said as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Yes, it is." Elizabeth said back with a smile.

Rosemary looked around at the small town from out of the Starbucks window and looked back at Elizabeth with a slight frown. "Where's the rest of it?"

Elizabeth chuckled, knowing the small town she lived in was such a great place. "I'm afraid you're looking at it."

Rosemary looked around again through the windows. "Oh….Well….Charming."

"It can be." Elizabeth said with a smile, wondering who this lady was.

"I'm Elizabeth Thatcher." Elizabeth said as she extended a handshake to the lady in front of her.

"Rosemary LeVeaux." She said as she shook Elizabeth's hand and bowed in front of her.

Elizabeth looked back at the lady, thinking how weird it was for someone to be bowing instead of shaking hands. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss LeVeaux."

At the same time, Jack had known that Elizabeth was going to be at Starbucks saying goodbye to her sister Julie, so he had decided to stop in while he was patrolling the area to see her and get some coffee. He pulled into the parking lot and made his way inside. Upon walking through the door, he stopped and looked at Elizabeth who was sitting across the way chatting with a lady he didn't recognize. He figured it was someone she worked with at school. He stood for a few seconds, taking in the view in front of him. Elizabeth was such a great person, so charming and easy to talk to. That's why he loved her so much. He smiled as he continued to watch her talk to her friend.

Elizabeth had enjoyed the conversation with Miss LeVeaux. She was a nice person once she found out some details about her.

"And what brings you here?" Elizabeth asked as she was curious why Miss LeVeaux would be here in the small town of Hope Valley.

"My fiancé." Rosemary commented as she smiled as big as she could.

"Oh, congratulations. Perhaps I know him. Is he…" Elizabeth began to say as she looked over at Jack standing by the door smiling at her. She couldn't even finish her question to Rosemary because of how Jack was looking at her. He had a magnetic pull on her every time she saw him.

"…one of the miners?" Elizabeth finally finished as she continued to look at Jack. Hope Valley was known to attract coal miners from out of town due to the small coal mine they had in town. Almost every man in town worked for the mine, so it wasn't strange for strangers to come into town to work.

"Lord, no." Rosemary said as she chuckled under her breath.

"Jack." Elizabeth said dreamly-like as she continued to stare at her adorable boyfriend standing in the doorway. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"Oh! There he is now. Jack!" Rosemary said as she turned to see who Elizabeth was looking at.

Elizabeth looked puzzled at Rosemary as she had turned around and yelled Jack's name.

Jack looked confused as it dawned on him who the lady was Elizabeth was sitting with. His smile turned to a frown when the realization hit him. What was Rosemary, his old fiancée, doing in town? How did she find him? He realized this looked awkward to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth looked confused at Rosemary as she continued to wave at Jack, smiling from ear to ear. Her mouth flew open and she continued looking back and forth from Jack to Rosemary, eyes wide and flabbergasted at the sight before her. Who was this woman? She said she had come to town to see her fiancé. Jack had never mentioned her before.

Jack proceeded to walk over to Elizabeth and Rosemary, wondering what he would say to Elizabeth. He had never mentioned Rosemary to her before, so he was sure she was wondering who she was and what was going on.

"Oh...Jack, I'm here." Rosemary said as she walked up to Jack, taking him into a big hug.

Elizabeth stood still, unsure of the sight before her.

As Jack and Rosemary hugged, Jack looked at Elizabeth, who cast her eyes downward and frowned.

"Look at you. More handsome than ever." Rosemary said as she broke their hug, placing her hand on Jack's cheek.

"And you look awfully…healthy." Jack said as he looked very uncomfortable with Rosemary touching his face and Elizabeth looking at them, confused engraved on her face.

"You've cut your hair, and I can see you've been doing it yourself." Rosemary said as she reached out to push Jack's hair behind his ear.

"Lucky for you, I've brought my scissors." Rosemary said with a smile. She was so pleased to find Jack.

"All right. Well, I'll let you two catch up." Elizabeth said as she grabbed her purse and proceeded to head out the door. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. She couldn't dare see Rosemary drooling all over Jack and Jack not saying anything to her about their relationship.

"No, Elizabeth…Elizabeth, wait." Jack called out to her as she continued to walk by them to the door.

"No. Was it something I said?" Rosemary said with a slight frown on her face as she watched Elizabeth walk out.

"What are you doing here?" Jack said as he couldn't believe Rosemary's comment. He shook his head back and forth, letting her know he wasn't happy about her being in Hope Valley.

"I found out where you were stationed, and I just had to see you." Rosemary said with a quick flashy smile.

"Well, I thought you were in New York." Jack said as he looked at Rosemary with confusion.

"It turns out; a life in theater is quite empty without you." Rosemary said she frowned, looking at Jack for some compassion.

Jack scoffed at the comment. He couldn't believe her. She didn't act this way when they spoke two years ago. "That's not what you said last time we spoke."

Rosemary reached her hand out, placing it on the center of Jack's chest. She loved Jack and wanted him back. "Dearest Jack, I never should have broken things off with you."

"But you did." Jack said as he remembered the hurt that Rosemary had caused him.

"And I have regretted it every day since. But I'm here now." Rosemary said as she was basically pleading with Jack to welcome her back.

"Rosemary, you cannot expect that after two years things would stay the same." Jack said as he couldn't believe her words and actions.

"Two years, two hours, two minutes? It's just time." Rosemary said as she continued to look at Jack and then realized he had fallen in love with Elizabeth who had left earlier. Jack frowned and looked back towards the door, hoping Rosemary would realize he was in love with Elizabeth and not her.

"It's a lifetime." Jack said as he looked back at her, hoping Rosemary got the point that he had moved on and had fallen in love with someone else.

Rosemary realized then that Jack had fallen in love with someone else after two years of them being separated and she hurt for him. "Certainly some living has happened since then. But my feelings haven't changed. And if yours have, well, then, I'm just going to have to do whatever it takes to win them back." Rosemary said as her disappointment turned to a small smile on her face. She was determined to win Jack back from Elizabeth and would do whatever possible to win him back.

Elizabeth had gone to Abigail's café to talk to Abigail about what to do. She couldn't believe the nerve of Jack. She couldn't believe Jack wouldn't have mentioned having a fiancée when they started dating. She thought Jack had been honest about everything. Apparently, she had been wrong.

"I can't believe it. How could he not tell me he was engaged?" Elizabeth said as she continued to sit down and talk to Abigail about what just happened with Jack and Rosemary.

"I admit I'm as surprised as you." Abigail said as she took in the story of what Elizabeth had told her happened. She was surprised at Jack as well. He was a well-respected member of the town and Abigail held him to the highest honor. There had to be something going on that she suspected Jack would tell Elizabeth later that evening.

"I didn't know what to say. Jack's been off taking the Tolliver group to justice, and then she arrives, and he arrives, and…" Elizabeth was so frustrated.

"And the way she jumped into his arms, it was as though they were already married." Elizabeth said to Abigail, shaking her head as she didn't want to believe it was true.

Abigail couldn't believe what she was hearing. This didn't sound like Jack. "Jack has always been honorable. Perhaps things aren't as they seem."

"Would a hot biscuit make you feel better?" Abigail said as she stood up to get some hot biscuits out of the oven.

"No." Elizabeth said as she looked down at the table. She took a deep breath. "But 10 might." Abigail smiled and laughed at Elizabeth and went to fetch the biscuits.

Later that afternoon, Jack decided to stop in and see Elizabeth. He had tried calling her and texting her, but she never answered or responded back. He figured she would be home and they could discuss what happened with Rosemary.

Jack went to the front door of her home and knocked on the door. He saw her car sitting outside in the driveway. Elizabeth made her way to the door and opened it, not surprised to see it was Jack. She didn't want to speak to him.

"Can I come in?" Jack asked as he stood out on the small porch, waiting for Elizabeth to let him in. He knew she probably didn't want to talk to him, but they had to talk if they were going to work this out.

Elizabeth backed up and allowed Jack to enter, shutting the door as he made his way to the couch in her living room. She shut the door and turned back, seeing Jack sitting down on the couch. They had to talk if they were going to work this out.

"Would you like some coffee?" Elizabeth asked as they were both met with silence. They were both unsure of what to say or where to begin.

"No, thank you." Jack said as he fidgeted with his hat in his hands. He took a deep breath and began to speak. But before he could say anything, his radio went off and a call came in for an automobile accident with a drunk driver. Jack hated to leave but duty called.

"I'm sorry. Can we talk later?" Jack said as he stood up to leave, placing his hat back on his hand and walked towards the door.

"Sure." Elizabeth said as she watched him leave, releasing the breath that she didn't know she was holding.

That night, Elizabeth was sitting outside on her porch, enjoying the warm summer night. She saw headlights pull into her driveway and instantly knew it was Jack's police cruiser. She stood up from her chair as he walked up to her front porch.

"Jack." Elizabeth said as she looked down at him on the steps. "How'd it go?" She asked, not really wanting to hear about the accident but was just trying to make small talk.

"The guy was okay. He had too many drinks and we took him away and placed him in jail. Luckily, he just ran into a power pole and didn't get hurt too bad." Jack said as he looked at Elizabeth standing in the moon light. She was so gorgeous. He just wanted to apologize and kiss her.

"Well, I'm glad you're back safely." Elizabeth said as she looked down at the ground, unsure of where this conversation would go.

"Were you worried I wouldn't be?" Jack said as he walked up the steps, grinning at Elizabeth.

She was embarrassed at the comment and tried to push it off. "No." She had been caught red handed waiting on Jack, the love of her life.

"Yet you're out here in the middle of the night, waiting." Jack said, still smiling at her.

"If you must know, I was just watching for Halley's Comet." Elizabeth said as her face turned red and she looked up in the sky, trying to change the subject. She had gave an assignment to her kids at school to look for Halley's Comet.

Jack laughed. "Halley's Comet." He looked up into the sky then looked back at Elizabeth. "Do you know how many times I've heard that excuse?" Jack said as Elizabeth quickly turned back to him, a smile forming on her lips. Even when she was mad at him, he could always make her laugh and smile. "Maybe I was a little worried." Elizabeth said with a small smirk. "Just a little?" Jack asked. "Don't push it." Elizabeth said as she shook her head and smiled at him. They both laughed, clearing the air before them.

"Talk a walk with me Elizabeth." Jack said as he stood up, extending his hand to her's.

Elizabeth wasn't sure where he was going with this walk. But she would join him. "Is there a reason for this walk?"

"There is." Jack said, still holding his hand out to her's. She reached for it and they began walking together. They walked over to the local historic church in the park and took a seat on the bench. Jack turned to Elizabeth and began talking from his heart.

"I have been doing some reflecting and some reading. In fact, I borrowed one of your history books. Did you know that, of the 27 men that have been President of the United States, only one was a bachelor?"

Elizabeth was confused on where this conversation was going. "Mmm-hmm. James Buchanan."

"Okay, but can you name one notable accomplishment of Buchanan's?" Jack asked with a smile.

"Actually, his failure to deal with the South's secession is considered one of the worst presidential mistakes in history." Elizabeth said as if it was common knowledge to know all the details about President Buchanan.

"My point exactly." Jack said, still smiling at her, taking her hand in his.

Elizabeth was officially confused now. "What is your point?"

"That perhaps his poor judgment began by not having a woman by his side." Jack said, still holding Elizabeth's hands.

"No. It was because he was a Confederate sympathizer." Elizabeth said, again, acting like it was common knowledge to know all about Buchanan's life.

Jack chuckled, unable to believe Elizabeth's knowledge. "Is there anything you don't know?"

"I don't know the reason for this conversation." Elizabeth said back, looking deeply into his eyes.

"I think you do." Elizabeth was so confused. "You're running for President?" She said with a perplexed look on her face. Jack laughed again, looking off at the church and then back to Elizabeth.

Jack pulled out a small envelope from his pocket, handing it to Elizabeth. "Open it."

Elizabeth looked at Jack, taking the envelope from his hand. She proceeded to open it, pulling out a small piece of paper that she unfolded. She couldn't believe her eyes. As she unfolded the paper, she saw a beautiful drawing of her and Jack from a photo they had taken a few weeks back. She didn't realize Jack was a gifted artist that could draw. Tears formed in her eyes.

"You made this?" She said as she couldn't believe the time he must have spent on this. The love it took to make this for her. Jack nodded and smiled. "A little hobby of mine. It's a lot harder for me to say what's in my heart. I guess I'm not as brave as everyone thinks."

Elizabeth couldn't stop smiling. She looked up at Jack. "Yes, you are."

Jack took the piece of paper and placed it down on the bench behind him. He had to tell Elizabeth what is heart was saying. "Elizabeth, I have thought long and hard about us, and I keep coming back to the same conclusion."

Elizabeth took a deep breath, unsure of what Jack would say.

"You're the one. You're the only one." Jack said as he pulled her into a deep kiss. Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears. She was so happy that Jack had told her what he finally felt about her. There was no denying the love they had for each other.

Later on, they had found out that Rosemary had planned to stay in Hope Valley after all and form a theater group for the city. Rosemary was so excited to stay, as the little town had grown on her. Jack and Elizabeth were happy, but had wished she had decided to head back to New York instead.

Come to find out, Rosemary had been in town one day, when a mysterious man on a motorcycle road up. It was a newer motorcycle and everyone in town was impressed with it.

Rosemary walked up, smiling as she looked at the handsome man and the motorcycle. "Well, that's a nice motorcycle you have there."

The man noticed she wasn't looking at the motorcycle, but at him instead. He smiled back at her. "Well, that's funny. You're not looking at the motorcycle."

Rosemary laughed, saying, "I have excellent peripheral vision." She continued to walk up to him, wanting to find out more about this handsome man.

She looked down at the motorcycle, putting her hand on the front headlight. "It looks fast."

"Well, it is." The man replied as he was wondering who this beautiful woman was.

"And dangerous?" Rosemary replied back. "Mm. Can be." The man replied with a smile.

"What brings you to Hope Valley?" Rosemary asked as she continued to stand by the motorcycle.

"Oh, I don't know. Little of this, little of that." The man replied as he continued to look at Rosemary, wanting to know more about her.

"A man of mystery." Rosemary replied with a smile. "I like it."

"Well, I'll keep that in mind." The man replied, smiling, as Rosemary proceeded to walk by and into one of the clothing stores.

Before they knew it, Lee and Rosemary had hit it off and had fallen madly in love. Of course, Jack and Elizabeth were glad that Lee had come into town when he did. Otherwise, Rosemary might still be trying to win Jack's heart back. In the end, Lee and Rosemary ended up getting married, becoming Mr. and Mrs. Coulter, settling down in Hope Valley, where Lee works as the owner of the local saw mill. The saw mill was developed after the coal market declined and the coal mine shut down.

Elizabeth had come in the kitchen after her shower and tried to get Jack's attention. He had this goofy look on his face. She wondered what he was thinking about. She called out to him.

"Jack?" She again tried to get his attention. "Jack!" Elizabeth said as she took her hand and wove it in front of his face.

Jack broke from his thoughts, smiling at Elizabeth. "Good morning." He leaned in and kissed Elizabeth, smiling back at her.

"You were like in outer space there for a few minutes. I was trying to get your attention. You had a goofy look on your face. What were you thinking about?" Elizabeth said as she went around and got a coffee mug out of the cabinet.

"Just thinking back to when you and Rosemary met for the first time." Jack shot a look at her and smiled. Elizabeth looked at him and laughed. "Oh goodness, that was a nightmare." She shook her head back and forth, pouring her coffee from the coffee pot. "It's hard to believe we are such good friends now." Elizabeth said smiling as she stirred in her creamer.

"Yeah, thank goodness Lee came into town when he did. I didn't think she would ever get the hint to move on." Jack said as he took another sip from his coffee mug, pulling Elizabeth close to him. "Are you ready to head out here in a few?" Elizabeth sat her coffee mug down on the counter and smiled back at Jack. Tomorrow, she would be married to him. Her husband. Elizabeth smiled and looked down at Jack's lips and then his eyes. They kissed and Jack could taste the hint of vanilla from the creamer in her coffee.

"I'm ready when you are." Elizabeth said as they parted ways, resting their foreheads together and breathing in each other's scents.

Within 30 minutes, Jack had loaded the car up with their luggage, double checking to make sure they had everything they needed before they left. He was like a mad man running around. Elizabeth had gone back through the house and triple checked everything. She knew that Lee and Rosemary would stop in every few days to check on things and make sure nothing happened to her house while they were gone. Before they knew it, Jack was backing the car out of the driveway and headed towards the interstate to begin their long drive.

A few minutes into their drive, Elizabeth quickly realized something. She had definitely forgotten something.

"Jack! Wait!" Elizabeth called out as Jack pulled over on the side of the road, looking at Elizabeth with concern.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Jack asked as he looked over Elizabeth for what was wrong.

She smiled at Jack. "We forgot to bring Wally with us to drop off at Lee and Rosemary's house on the way."

Jack quickly laughed and smiled at her. Of course, they had been in such a hurry to leave that they had forgot to put Wally in his dog crate in the back of the car. Jack turned the car around and they headed back to her house to pick him up.

Hours had passed and it seemed they had been driving all day. Then they spotted the sign.

VIRGINIA BEACH - 12 MILES

Elizabeth smiled at the thought that passed through her head as she watched Jack continue to drive. She was so lucky that he had been spared overseas while he was there for three years. He hadn't been hurt or killed or injured. He had come home to her safe and sound, just like he said he would. She was forever grateful that God had protected Jack the last three years. She knew their marriage would be wonderful. Sure, there would be hard times, sad times, happy times. But she knew with Jack by her side, she would make it through everything with him.

Within minutes, the two arrived at their hotel and checked in. They had decided to stay in the Cavalier Hotel, which was oceanfront and right on the beach. They had decided to stay in the oceanfront king studio suite.

That night, they had decided to go out and explore the different dining options available to them. After dinner, they took a walk on the beach holding hands and reminiscing on their life together. Tomorrow was the big day and they both couldn't wait.

They got back to their room and Jack was dozing off as soon as they sat down on the couch to watch some TV. Elizabeth got up and laid down in the king bed, as she was tired too. But sleep didn't come to her fast enough. Her heart and mind was racing with thoughts about tomorrow and about their wedding. She was upset that her parents hadn't made the trip down to see them get married. She was upset that her parents hated Jack. But she was glad that she had Abigail to come down and be her maid of honor. And she was glad that she had Jack to stand on for these hard times. She loved him so much and she didn't know what she would do without him. She couldn't imagine her life without him. He was her rock. Sleep finally overtook her and she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

The next morning, Elizabeth turned over, shielding her eyes as the bright sun spilled in from the big glass window. She sat up in bed and stretched, looking at the clock. The time was 10:17AM. Then she realized it was her wedding day. She jumped from the bed and ran to the bathroom, jumping in the shower, hurrying to try and get ready. Jack and she had decided on a late afternoon wedding. Although she quickly realized that no one except Jack, her, Abigail, and the preacher would be there.

Jack had decided to go down to the beach and scope out where a good spot would be for their wedding. Luckily for them, the beach wasn't crowded and they practically had a whole section of beach to themselves.

Abigail saw Jack on the beach and walked up to him, wanting to talk to him and gather his thoughts. "Jack?"

Jack looked back and smiled. At least Abigail would be here for Elizabeth.

"Abigail! Glad you could make it!" Jack said as he hugged her, appreciative that she had traveled down from Hope Valley to be with them on their wedding day.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. How's Elizabeth?" Abigail asked as she took in the beach around her.

"She's excited, to say the least. I think she just wishes her parents and family could be here. But, we know how that would turn out." Jack said as he squinted towards the sun, casting his eyes downward as he pushed the sand around with his right foot.

Abigail took a deep breath and patted Jack on the shoulder. She knew how difficult it was for Jack not to be accepted by Elizabeth's family, especially for what he had been through the last three years. "Jack, you are a wonderful man and I can tell you love Elizabeth with your whole heart and more. You two are perfect for each other. Don't worry about what other people think. If her family would rather put their pride in front of their daughter's happiness, that's their fault, not your's. Don't let their actions spoil this moment for you two." Abigail said as she pulled Jack in for a hug.

Before long, the preacher had showed up and Jack had gone back to their room to see if Elizabeth was ready. He walked in the hotel room, seeing Elizabeth sitting on the edge of the bed crying.

"Elizabeth?" Jack said as he walked up to her, taking her in his arms. He hated to see her cry, but he knew why she was crying.

"Jack…I'm sorry. I don't mean to cry, but my emotions finally caught up with me." Elizabeth said as she wiped her eyes with the tissue in her hand.

"Shh…It's okay. I understand. It's your family, isn't it?" Jack said as he continued to hold Elizabeth close, not wanting to let her go.

"Yeah. I guess I had pushed it out of my mind after I spoke to them, but the thoughts crept up to me this morning after I showered. I don't want them to have a hold on this day. They aren't going to ruin my wedding day. Our wedding day." Elizabeth said as she looked into Jack's eyes and placed her hand on his cheek.

Jack pulled her in and kissed her. He placed his hand on the back of her head, deepening the kiss between them.

They broke from their kiss and both smiled.

"Are you ready to get married?" Jack asked as he continued to look into Elizabeth's deep blue eyes.

"Yes." Elizabeth said as Jack stood up, pulling her close and they walked out of the hotel room towards the beach, ready to be married.

They both walked to the beach hand in hand. The preacher was ready and Abigail was ready as well. The moment had come. Within a few minutes, they would be married. Husband and wife. Until eternity.

The preacher began.

"Marriage is an ancient human tradition. The personal and social merits that accompany the bonds of marriage have led to its continued endurance and have paved the way for us to be standing before God celebrating the union between these two people today. As the Bible reminds us in 1st Corinthians, 'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.'

"As we celebrate this bond of unity today under the eyes of God, it is important that we keep in mind that, while this is certainly an occasion of tremendous joy, the promises we witness here today are serious and life-altering commitments. As Jesus said, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' He also taught that, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 'So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.'

"At this time, before proceeding with the bonding ceremony, I would invite the couple to share their vows. Elizabeth, would you please deliver yours first?"

Elizabeth looked deep into Jack's eyes and reflected on her time with him. The good times they shared, the bad times, the sad times. "Today, I take you as my husband. I love you now as I've always loved you, and as I will always love you."

The preacher looked back at Jack. "And now Jack, would you deliver your vows?"

Jack looked deep into Elizabeth's blue eyes. His love for her was stronger now than ever. He thought back to their life together and how God had allowed him to come back to her after three years. "Today, I take you as my wife. I will always love you until the end of time. Nothing will separate the love we have for each other. I love you."

The preacher began to speak again. "Elizabeth and Jack, please join hands."

"Elizabeth, do you take Jack as your cherished husband and promise to stay by his side through sickness and health, joy and sorrow, so long as you both shall live?"

Elizabeth smiled and looked at Jack. "I do."

The preacher looked to Jack.

"Jack, do you take Elizabeth as your cherished wife and promise to stay by her side through sickness and health, joy and sorrow, so long as you both shall live?"

Jack smiled and looked at Elizabeth. "I do."

The preacher began again. "The wedding rings perfectly symbolize the never-ending love you two have for each other. By exchanging these rings, you solidify a lifelong commitment to one another. The rings serve as a welcome and constant reminder of the bond you've formed with each other."

"Elizabeth, please repeat after me." "I, Elizabeth, give you, Jack, this ring as a symbol of my enduring love. Just as the circle of the ring completes itself, so you complete me."

Elizabeth repeated what the preacher said and slid the silver ring onto Jack's finger. She smiled at him.

"Jack, please repeat after me." "I, Jack, give you, Elizabeth, this ring as a symbol of my enduring love. Just as the circle of the ring completes itself, so you complete me."

Jack repeated the words and slid the silver diamond ring onto Elizabeth's finger. He smiled at her.

Finally, the moment they had been waiting for was here. The preacher said, "Elizabeth and Jack, by the power vested in me by the state of Virginia, I am pleased to pronounce you husband and wife, sealed together today both in law and in love under the eyes of God. Jack, you may now kiss the bride."

Jack tipped Elizabeth over and kissed her so passionately that Elizabeth felt all tingly over. They were finally married.

"May I now have the honor of presenting for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Elizabeth and Jack Thornton!" The preacher said as Jack and Elizabeth turned to Abigail, hugging her and thanking her for coming to see them get married. They were both grateful to have a wonderful friend like Abigail.

Abigail decided she would leave after the ceremony and head back to Hope Valley. She had left Frank in charge of Cody and she wanted to let Jack and Elizabeth enjoy their evening together as husband and wife. She said goodbye and left for Hope Valley.

Jack and Elizabeth had decided to go out to dinner that evening and enjoy each other's company. Jack had a surprise for Elizabeth at dinner that he knew Elizabeth would love.

Jack took Elizabeth to Terrapin Restaurant for dinner. It was an upscale place and Jack had heard from a few friends that he worked with that it was really nice and had excellent food.

The waiter showed them to their seats and handed them the menus. Everything on the menu looked good to them. Honestly, they were both starving because they hadn't had anything to eat since lunchtime.

The waiter gave them a few minutes to decide on what to order. Jack took Elizabeth's hand in his and smiled at her. "How does it feel to be Mrs. Elizabeth Thornton?" Elizabeth smiled back. He was finally her husband. She couldn't believe it. It was all like a dream. "It's wonderful Jack." Jack leaned in and kissed Elizabeth.

The waiter came over and cleared his throat. He wasn't here to wait on people who didn't want to eat. "What can I get you two?" He said as he pulled out the book and ink pen from his back pocket.

Elizabeth blushed and Jack smiled. "I'll have the pork chop and water please." Jack said as he took his menu and handed it to the waiter. The waiter looked at Elizabeth. "And you ma'am?" Elizabeth looked carefully at the menu. "Uh, let's see. I'll take water and the ricotta ravioli please." Elizabeth handed her menu to the waiter and he smiled and left.

Jack took this moment to tell Elizabeth about his surprise for her.

"Elizabeth, I want you to know that you've made me the happiest man in the world by marrying me. I couldn't imagine my life without you."

Elizabeth smiled and teared up. "I love you too Jack."

"I have a surprise for you." Jack said with a sly smile and a twinkle in his eye.

Elizabeth looked at Jack, laughing, wondering what his surprise would be.

"I gave it a lot of thought and I decided that we would take our honeymoon to Belize in Central America. It's near the Caribbean. What do you think?"

Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears. She figured they would just stay at Virginia Beach.

"Jack…I can't believe it! When do we leave? How long are we staying for? You didn't have to do this. I'm sure it was a lot of money. We could have just stayed here in Virginia Beach." Elizabeth said as tears threatened to spill out on her cheeks. She was so happy.

"We leave early tomorrow morning. We fly out of the airport at 6:00am and we arrive in Belize around 1:00pm tomorrow afternoon. We will be staying two weeks. Two weeks of heavenly bliss with my wife that I love very much." Jack said as he lifted her hand up to his mouth and kissed it.

They finished eating dinner and headed back to their hotel room. Both were anxious to head to Belize tomorrow morning. But both were anxious to finally be together as husband and wife. They both couldn't believe they were finally married. After four years, they were finally husband and wife. They were finally Mr. and Mrs. Thornton.

Jack picked Elizabeth up and carried her in the room and laid her on the bed. Elizabeth had been nervous about this moment, but she trusted Jack. He knew she had never been with a guy before. The two quickly caught on to each other and they both found the love they had for each other that night on a much larger scale than before. The time waiting for four years made this moment worthwhile.

Jack lay with his hand over Elizabeth's waist and Elizabeth nuzzled up to Jack's chest. Sleep finally overtook them and they both drifted off to sleep, anxious to see where their honeymoon trip to Belize would take them.


End file.
